Kusanagi, allow me to introduce you to my friends, Minori and Kohane. They'll be joining us for the Fan Festival.

I'm Minori Hanasato!

Nice to meet you, Nene!

Th-Thanks...

I'm Nene Kusanagi. It's nice to meet you too...

And I'm Kohane Azusawa...!

I sing street music most of the time.

N-Nice to meet you...

Wait, aren't you...?

Yes, it's me...!

I didn't realize that the friend Ichika mentioned would be you, Kusanagi...!

Hm? Do you two already know each other?

Yes, we do! I go to Phoenix Wonderland all the time to see the shows Kusanagi and her troupe put on...!

But I'm so happy that we finally get a chance to talk like this...!

Q-Quit exaggerating...

Hehe. What a nice coincidence!

Yes, it really is.

Anyway... Hanasato and Azusawa, right?

Again, it's nice to nice to meet the both of you.

Nice to meet you too!

Hanasato, I heard that you're an idol...

Yeah! I'm trying to become an idol who can spread hope to everyone!

I hope we can become really good friends, Nene!

Huh? Uh, right... I'd like that too...

Yay! Thanks, Nene!

Let's do our best for the Fan Festival!

Y-Yeah...

She's so talkative...

I guess she really is an idol...

Yes, she has a very bright personality. So much so that she's able to cheer everyone up around her.

She's also a very hard-working girl. Despite being in an idol group, she's the only one without any prior experience working as one.

She's using the Fan Festival as an opportunity to grow as an idol and catch up to her groupmates.

I see...

Hehe...

I still have to depend on them when we're on stage so...

But your determination's really commendable...

No, that's not true at all!

It's always been my dream to become an idol. That's why I want to keep finding ways to get better at it!

The others work really hard too and have actual experience as idols on top of that...!

I need to catch up to them as quickly as I can!

I agree, so let's give it our all.

I'll help in any way I can too.

Me too...!

M-Me three...

I don't really know much about being an idol, but I'd like to help...

Seeing how determined you are has lit something inside of me too... So let's do our best, together.

Th-Thank you...!

Alright, let's do what we can and make our Fan Festival performance a big success!

Yeah!

Okay, shall we get started?

Or rather, what does an idol need to practice?

Well... Singing for one, but choreographing a dance routine and learning it once it's done... There's so much to do...!

That's right, idols have to know how to dance too.

Yeah. Haruka and Airi are usually the ones who come up with our dance routines, so this will be my first time actually coming up with one on my own.

I want to do as much as I can by myself, but I've been having so much trouble wrapping my head around how to actually choreograph a dance...

Yes, I see...

As much as I'd like to help, I don't know much about dancing or choreography.

I've danced before in some of our performances, but I'd hardly make a suitable teacher...

Wait, hold on!

Kusanagi, don't your shows usually involve some dancing?

Y-Yeah, a little...

R-Really?!

Th-They do, but I'm pretty sure that what we do isn't something you'd see idols doing...

Also, I'm not the one who comes up with those dance routines. Rui... I mean, our director is a better person to ask.

Okay...

So, would you mind if I did ask him and your troupe for help...?

Sure, I'm guessing they'll be more than happy to help you.

Really...?! Thank you so much, Nene!

U-Um, Kusanagi...

Would it be possible for me to join her?

Oh, me too...!

I'd love to see how you and your troupe practice, Kusanagi.

O-Okay...

I can't really make any guarantees...

But I'll talk to my troupe about you guys.

Th-Thank you, Nene!

I think you just saved my dance routine...!

That just leaves singing...

I hope practicing on my own like usual will be enough...

My teammates may be able to help you with that. They're all very good singers.

They might have some advice for you, so I'll ask if they'd mind helping us during practice.

Y-You will?!

Of course. Would you two like to join as well?

If possible, yes...!

Me too.

These sort of opportunities are pretty rare so...

Okay! I'll make sure to ask them later!

It'll also probably be good to get a head start on this. Assuming things work out, you'll be welcome to join us for practice three days from now!

Okay, practice with my troupe will probably be four days from now, so practice with your team will come first in all likelihood...

Understood.

Thank you so much, both of you!

I'm really looking forward to this!

(I'm stepping out of my idol shell for the very first time. I can't wait to see how everyone else practices!)